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Saturday, February 9, 2013

Chicken Enchilada

Chicken Enchilada with Tomatillo Cilantro Sauce

What I like about the recipe: Easy, simple ingredients, refrigerates and reheats well

Enchilada, literally translates to “to add chilli pepper to” which gives me the freedom to make it as hot and spicy as I like!!!

A dish with at least 12 possible variations and innumerable potential modifications is essentially so forgiving for any cook. The similarity of flavors, spices, ingredients and processing thereof between Mexican and Indian culinary exercise has always fascinated me. So I wished to begin my spree to Mexican cooking with some Enchiladas…… with as little freedom as possible!! Narrated herein the variation I tried and honestly, loved!

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Corn tortilla – I think flour/wheat tortillas will do as well

2 Chicken breast

1 large red onion finely sliced

4 cloves of garlic

2 serrano papers or to taste

Few sprigs of fresh Cilantro chopped

5-6 tomatillos

Cooking oil

Salt to taste

2 tbsp lemon/lime juice

Mexican three cheese mix – or your favorite cheese

Jalapeno peppers (Optional)

Steps:

Slightly grease a baking tray and preheat oven to 350 deg F

Remove the green leafy part from the tomatillos

Place the tomatillos, Serrano peppers and garlic cloves on the baking tray and bake for 15 – 20 mins or until the skin is slightly charred

Allow to cool and remove the skin of the tomatillos

Grind the tomatillos, garlic, Serrano peppers, cilantro and lime/lemon juice together into a sauce consistency – give a test taste for heat and sourness

Poach the chicken breasts in boiling water, cool and shred lightly using a fork

Heat oil in a skillet, sauté onions till translucent

Add the chicken breasts and Jalapeno peppers if using

Add enough of the green sauce to coat the chicken well and stir to mix – keep aside some sauce for topping

Add salt to taste and allow the mixture to heat thoroughly

Soften the tortillas in a microwave or on a skillet – preferably follow the instruction on the package

The tortillas may also be soaked slightly in the sauce at this time

Place enough filling in the softened (or soaked in sauce) tortillas and fold like an Enchilada

Place each Enchilada in a greased baking dish with the folded side down

After all the Enchiladas have been placed together, pour the remaining sauce and top with cheese as desired

Bake at 350 deg F for 10 – 15 mins till the cheese has melted and is slightly golden brown